Financial literacy refers to the basic skills people need to manage money and make financial decisions. People are said to be financially literate when they understand money, income and taxes, budgeting, banking, saving, investing, credit, insurance, retirement planning, and managing money for economic self-sufficiency and to build wealth. The average student who graduates from high school lacks basic skills in the management of personal finance affairs. Many are unable to balance a checkbook and most lack the insight into the basic survival principles involved with earning, spending, saving, and investing. Several young people fail in the management of their first consumer credit experience, establish bad financial management habits, and stumble through lives learning by trial and error.

Due to these facts, the Connecticut State Department of Education has endorsed personal finance education and through these efforts most of our high schools offer at least one half year personal finance course. To assist educators, a personal finance model curriculum has been developed by administrators and teachers from across the state. Use the links above to access each unit as well as resources and middle school curriculum.

We welcome teachers to submit lesson plans to be added to this curriculum. Please use the same template as the model lesson plans and submit your lesson to: Lee C. Marcoux, Education Consultant. Lee.marcoux@ct.gov.